Wharton is on a three-game streak of home wins, while Steinbrenner is on a six-game streak of away wins: one of those streaks is about to end. The Wildcats will host the Warriors at 7:00 p.m. on Thursday. Wharton knows how to get runs on the board -- the squad has finished with ten runs or more in their past three contests -- so hopefully Steinbrenner likes a good challenge.
Wharton made up a huge gap compared to their last game against East Bay, but they still couldn't quite topple them. The Wildcats put the hurt on the Indians with a sharp 17-7 win on Tuesday. The result was nothing new for the Wildcats, who have now won six games by six runs or more so far this season.
Eliza Connell was a major factor while hitting and pitching. On the mound, she struck out seven batters over 2.2 innings while giving up no earned runs off one hit (and not a single walk). She has been consistent for a while: she hasn't given up more than two walks in 15 consecutive appearances. She was also big at the plate, scoring three runs and stealing two bases while getting on base in four of her five plate appearances. That's the most stolen bases she has posted since back in February.
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Madelyn Parker, who went 2-for-4 with one home run, three RBI, and two runs. That's the most RBI she has posted since back in March. The team also got some help courtesy of Gabriella Greco, who scored two runs while going 3-for-5.
Wharton kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 14 hits. They are 8-2 when they post 11 or more hits.
Meanwhile, Steinbrenner got themselves on the board against Plant on Monday, but Plant never followed suit. They narrowly escaped with a victory as the team sidled past the Panthers 1-0. The win continues a trend for the Warriors in their matchups with the Panthers: they've now won four in a row.
Not much got past Lilly Patton, who gave up just a hit and racked up ten Ks to keep Plant off the board.
On the hitting side, Emma Kindle was excellent, scoring a run and stealing a base while going 2-for-3. Another player making a difference was Sophie Luaces, who went 1-for-2 with one stolen base and one RBI.
Wharton is on a roll lately: they've won nine of their last 12 matches. That's provided a nice bump to their 11-9 record this season. Those victories came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 8.1 runs over those games. As for Steinbrenner, their win bumped their record up to 16-6.
The batters for both teams will have to hit smart on Thursday as both have some strikeout artists on the roster. Wharton has been retiring batters left and right this season, having averaged 7.2 strikeouts per game. However, it's not like Steinbrenner struggles in that department as they've been averaging 7 strikeouts. Considering how easily both teams rack up Ks, the hitters on both teams better bring their A-game into this one.
Wharton suffered a grim 11-1 defeat to Steinbrenner in their previous meeting back in March of 2023. Will the Wildcats have more luck at home instead of on the road? Check back here after the action for a full breakdown and analysis of the contest.
